Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-05-04
nUsf m rxOM LASoAsrRk
Telling Q s'ittsburg Reporter About the u
Customs OF the Amish.

Customs Of the Amish.
From tho Pittsburg Dispatch.
"lJntii 1 was IL years OF age never wore
an article of clothing with buttons upon II.
At that sge l ran away from home, or l
might still be dressing in the primitive man.
ner which was enforced upon me when \
hoy"
These surprising statements, coming from
4 gentleman well.known in business circles,
lcd Dispatch reporter II ask tho speaker
where he was born.
al WAS born and reared in rennsy lvania,
and have never lived outside of the state.
There are still communities In the remote
and mountainous parts Of Pennsylvania
where buttons are not worn no ornaments
OF any sort are allowed upon the dress either
OF man or woman, and carpets are never seen
In dwelling houses People fasten their
garments by means OF strings or hooks and
eyes.
"My parents belon gel tn the Amish church.
. sect that still has considerable strength i'll
some parts OF the state. In bringing me up
a they did they were but carrying OUT the
principles which they::had been taught The
Amish-commonly called Omish-are the
followers of Jacob Amman and an Ctlshot
from the Mennonite church. They are very
conservative, mingling little with the outside
world, and there are many old men among
them who, though born in this country, are
unable to speak English, aud talk nothing
but 'Pennsylvania putch.' They take no
part In politics and abstain from oA'hs. They
manage the paupsr question among them
selves and none OF their poor ever become
county charges.
THEIR HOUSE HOUSE rLAN.
"Until few years ago they built neither
churches nor school houses They held all
| their meetings In private houses, and rs for
| schooling, they gave their children very lit.
tie OF it When the free school system was
suope. III III, ,t.sa ,,ann,. Thsv have ibeir
| Ssh,,. . ~, ,r,.,,ars s.Ia,,aI from anon u
their own number VINO i'll general ability,
| except perhaps, in command OF language,
| are in no way superior 70 the't ie..o~
| oue y. .ns -, .r.,,,rinr, nn N,ryiara
| iha A mish are especially numerous In that
| conntv lives a prominent member of the
| cburrb wbon wa W I'M cali Rinehsrt, though
| that isn,t bis name. He il the richest man
IN aii that sertinn> lie never wore A coat
" ith buttons In his life, and ss for ornaments
| be neyer had 40 much as psper collar He
| ia a large owner of railroad stock and looks
shsrply after his interests.
| 50 isw wear. ago there was a big meetins 9
| of ra;iroai mayna,as in philaaeip phia and
| p;,aha,t ,.as mra.ant Al tha h.nn,iet " h irh
| foIIovaa tho n,ea,ino snrne of the rnlroaler,
,bnn.bt thsv wouI5 have some fun witt
,hair hact xvSo5s yi.itor whose strange dres,
msa. n;,, nart,cnia,Iy rrnsniruous. Ac.
| cnrJinciv tbsv vaye the CID man a place a
,pa hnst 81 tSs sssh,e and asked HIM 10 d,
ths honora 81 the ocrssion, There was ,
tnrr sw W carre ANA Rinehar, asked If the,
has 80 " n%,acti"ns ~ bis doing the i6b ii
| nomn,ryy stvia
'ouS 'GSSr";,w s,y,s hv oil msans. ths, viii
ami, ma hastS wss tho renIv' The olh gentle
n'an ss,ar,sd the chnirest mart Of the mes,
hna,s1 Tn n n,s,a rnnsI nlspti,uliv' thon r,
Ssl;u, ~. ,sr,;na tri,a rasnmsi his seg
, anS ,nsnnonnaJ as;,nu volnnteerInp the in
"nsr,.,;nn ,nonnt,v stvIa is for every man I
t nn,', %i,,, =; '''
Aeif N'
ANofhhh CLASS
OF religious enthusiasts are the well-Ano"
Dunkards or German Bap'ists. They e
| chew ornaments and style. but not to tie e,
Ton, Tho, ,ho .mi.h do Somersat count
,o., .". ."' -, ~ -. I,,.i
~ .n!s slaIe, Is salu W con,ai % uo'. nuu AZ.
aIus .nhn any .eL y. ea ., On
wneIe III .ne wofiu. lnese peJPie , t' 'ru. i,